Alfons Cornella

If I had to describe my most obvious strong point I would say that I specialize in analyzing large amounts of information in order to produce a simple model that helps to explain the structure beneath. In this sense, I have made a professional living by making things that initially appear complex – whether science or technology (through the popularization of science), the internet or innovative business models – much more understandable and easier to deal with. Therefore, my main value proposal is bringing criteria through idea modeling. I love the transformational power of ideas, and I devote much of my time to encouraging and helping people to improve their organizations through dynamizing their innovation teams and projects.

I have embarked on this personal mission through two main projects, both of which I am the founder: Infonomia (founded in 2000), an innovation services company, which has been a source of ideas for hundreds of innovators, and Co-society (founded in 2009), an initiative to encourage and facilitate the systematic business intersection between companies from different sectors, with the participation of some of the most innovative companies in Spain.

My training was in Theoretical Physics, although I have never worked as a scientist. My first job was in the popularization of science, and since then my professional specialty has always been making things easier or more understandable. I also hold an MS on Information Resources Management and a postgraduate degree in business. Part of my former professional career was spent at a Business School as a lecturer on information systems, although I left the academic world in 1999 when I started my own company (Zero Factory), devoted to generating and delivering a portfolio of services in the field of innovation.

I am a consultant for major companies in Spain and I have managed more than 100 projects on the creation of an innovation culture and revitalizing innovation teams in different types of organizations, particularly in the private sector. The clients of some of my most recent projects include Grupo Santander, BBVA, LaCaixa, Credit Andorrà, Ferrovial, Cinesa, Esteve, Novartis, Miguel Torres, Fundación Telefónica, Planeta, Iberdrola, Kibuc and Puig. Currently, my main activity as a consultant consists of helping to build and dynamize successful innovation teams in organizations.

I also spend some of my professional time delivering talks and workshops on innovation, technology, business transformation and education, among other topics, at which I personally share my ideas and experiences with about 10,000 people annually. Some of the seminars, like our Update, which has been held on over 60 occasions in collaboration with Antonella Broglia, has become almost a benchmark in the field of the latest seminars for updating professionals on business trends. Some of my conferences are available on video here.

I have published more than 20 books and over 1,000 short articles on science, technology and innovation, which have been a driving force in transforming companies. Most of these books are available for free in digital format through this website. Among my books are: The Present Future: 101 Force-Ideas to Understand the Coming Decades (2005); The Alchemy of Innovation (2007), co-authored with Antonio Flores; Visionomics: 50 Ideas and Illustrations on the New Dynamic of Organizations (2010); The Solution Begins with CO- (2012), Many (2012), Ideas x Value = Results: How the Best Companies Innovate (2013), Verne, a ToolBox for Innovation (2013), and Ganarse la Libertad (2013), co-authored with Roser Batlle.

Follow my thoughtsto see my opinions about the most relevant ideas that we will have to deal with in the times to come.

I am fond of crafts, and my abilities include working on model railways, and I also recently took up learning to fly an ultralight plane. I try to visit an island at least once a year, and I still can tell some of the stories written in the sky in the ancient constellations. When my children were small I also wrote several short fairytales for them.

Finally, as one of my favorite mottos goes, “I unlearn; therefore I exist”.